𝐍𝐄𝐖 @asiancha.bsky.social 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒—Oliver Farry writes about 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (2025), directed by Bi Gan: "In the future, humans no longer dream, having relinquished the ability in exchange for longer life." @oliverfarry.com ⧉ 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: chajournal.com/2025/12/25/r... 。。。。。

𝐍𝐄𝐖 @asiancha.bsky.social 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒—Oliver Farry on Guan Hu's 𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝐷𝑜𝑔: "The casting of Jia Zhangke as the chief dog catcher Uncle Yao is ingenious. Jia’s presence carries an intertextual weight that goes well beyond cameo novelty." @oliverfarry.com ⧉ 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: chajournal.com/2025/12/25/b...

Late, as ever, but I managed to finally get my films of the year in in time for Christmas, in case you need some reading material before the turkey. oliverfarry.com/on-film/film...

Les SDJ de France 24 et RFI dénoncent la malhonnêteté intellectuelle de la chronique de Bérengère Viennot publiée sur le site @lepoint.fr le 21 octobre 2025. Que nous reproche son autrice ? D'être rigoureux ? De nous conformer au droit international ?

NEW: Since October 2023, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit has released dozens of 3D animations illustrating alleged Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian sites The style is now unmistakable: satellite zoom-ins, black & white wireframes, and red-textured houses - a new visual language of war

In case it wasn’t clear, the anti-DEI crusade has never been about merit. Zero news experience. Never been a reporter. Elevated to Editor in Chief of CBS News, one of the most storied news institutions in the nation. www.mediaite.com/media/news/p...

🔴 Tony Blair's ties to Larry Ellison should disqualify him from any role in Gaza - or in Britain's tech future. New by me and @daniel-howden.bsky.social on Democracy for Sale and @lighthousereports.com democracyforsale.substack.com/p/tony-blair...

TBH, I stopped reading Business Insider long ago because I assumed AI was being used to write most of its content, so flat and insipid it had become.

Calling peoples' employers in a rage because their tributes to Robert Redford weren't horny enough

Here are some tweets from Charlie Kirk over just the last few days. They are an impressive mix of hatred towards: Blacks, immigrants, women, immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ, academics.

His killing was a tragedy, and we should say so. But let's not go so far as to airbrush out his spreading of antisemitism, Islamophobia and disinformation: this is not "practicing politics the right way".

Ireland will not take part in 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if participation of Israel goes ahead, RTÉ Director-General says

I feel like I am taking crazy pills. Charlie Kirk’s ultimate goal, which he said time and time again, would have been the suppression, through threat of violence and the use of state power, of the rights of those he disagreed with, including freedom of expression. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/o...

If you continue to contribute to the success, visibility and profitability of Musk's platform X, by still posting there, ask yourself why.

At the rate the Israeli army is killing journalists in the Gaza Strip, there will soon be no one left to inform you. The editorial committees of France 24 and RFI, along with those of roughly 40 other French media outlets, are signatories of this statement in support of our colleagues in Gaza.

"Her cubicle becomes a chamber of obsessive self-scrutiny, where reflection no longer stabilises identity but fractures it." @myetcetera.bsky.social reviews "Lake Like a Mirror" and "Tongueless." https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/tongues-tied-mirrors-shattered/

Same goes for Keir Starmer's UK. The stated reasons for passing the law outlawing Palestine Action were remarkably similar, and equally spurious, to the HK government's for the National Security Law. Beijing and HKSAR will have been paying attention.

Today is the 10th anniversary of Ireland's gender recognition act. Ireland's gender recognition is through self-declaration without the need for permission from a doctor, panel or judge etc. In the past decade nothing bad happened. youtu.be/1f8OxezAqTk?...

My report from the Palestinian Christian town of Taybeh: www.irishtimes.com/world/middle...

I hate living in a country were Zohran Mamdani has to answer for allegations of antisemitism because he believes Palestinians deserve basic rights, but the richest man in the world can use his AI to spread neo-Nazi propaganda and there are basically zero consequences.

I don't know if it counts as obscure but I find myself quoting Spinal Tap's "You know where you stand in a hellhole" quite often.

It does make you wonder if we transferred the review and rigour into what musicians are saying at Glastonbury into what people say daily on political tv shows, in newspapers, and on podcasts we’d probably be in a far happier place all round.

Oliver Farry on Sam Dalrymple’s Shattered Lands. Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia: Wonderful telling of a sad history. Work of great scope and verve draws on a range of superb memoirs and testimonies, covering much more than India and Pakistan www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

Merely confirmation of what was clearly happening. Palestinians on the ground have repeatedly described these aid distribution sites as "traps". This is what happens when armed forces steeped in racist ideology are sent on a mission of vengeance, and granted months of absolute impunity.

Genocide in Gaza: three new books take stock. Genocide in Gaza: Israel’s Long War on Palestine by Avi Shlaim; Catastrophe: Nakba II by Fintan Drury; and The Gaza Catastrophe: The Genocide in World-Historical Perspective by Gilbert Achcar - reviewed by Oliver Farry www.irishtimes.com/culture/book...

‘Chinese labour is actively and visibly contributing to the construction of Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land.’ ‘several state-owned Chinese companies, along with other private Chinese firms, have invested directly or indirectly in Israeli settlements or companies operating within’

This obsession is with “young men turning to the right” is everything that is wrong with the discussion about the far right. It is not just an inadequate read of what is happening, and a bias towards the male norm, but it also normalizes the far right and obscures support for inclusive politics. 🧵

I remember reading this first, with more detail, in the now-defunct Vox magazine in late 1991.

Okay look I am very opposed to increased militarism and but if you think the state shouldn't seek to replace outdated weapons systems and infantry vehicles, just be honest and say you want the Irish army abolished because that is in effect what you are arguing for

If Jesus had focused more on kitchen table issues and less on unpopular outcasts like lepers and prostitutes, he might have won more support from white working-class Judeans.

I don’t usually do this, but please read this piece - it’s about good people in terrible circumstances and the world has sort of forgotten them

ICE ambushed another #Palestinian #Columbia student, this time at a meeting he thought he was attending to complete his citizenship. This is also intended to frighten green card holders away from completing the citizenship process. Pure evil. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/n...

I am begging people in the left to learn a bit more about China

The answer is José Manuel Barroso. I have yet to meet the former Portuguese prime minister and former President of the European Commission.

5 famous people you've met but one is a lie Jacques Derrida Kim Deal José Manuel Barroso Chelsea Clinton Shane MacGowan

Not to the point, I know, but the first thing I noticed in this graphic was how they mangled the demonym for El Salvador. It's "Salvadoran". You don't put the definite article in an adjective, folks.

⚫ Amadou Bagayoko, qui formait avec sa femme le légendaire duo de musiciens aveugles Amadou & Mariam, est décédé vendredi à Bamako à l’âge de 70 ans des suites d'une maladie, a-t-on appris auprès de sa famille et du ministre de la Culture malien #AFP ⤵️

This is absolutely horrifying. What justification could they possibly give for strip-searching those women? This is intimidation. This is punishment by sexual assault.

A slide about the death toll in Gaza “could be perceived as antisemitic.”

“What’s Up?” by 4 Non-Blondes. It’s the Sistine Chapel Ceiling of terrible songs.

Unidentified men grabbing someone off the street and putting her in a car because she wrote an op-Ed. This as flatly authoritarian as anything we’ve seen in this country in a very long time.

Reactionary centrism has been crucial in legitimizing the far right. They don’t only share a rejection of a truly inclusive democracy, but also a tendency to debate in bad faith. And yet, many liberals continue to engage with them, giving them legitimacy and amplifying their voice.

Reminder: Kennys Bookshop delivers for free in Ireland. Easons have free delivery over 10 euros (and also sell toys and games and stationary). Lots of lovely booksellers in the actual stores too, like Books Upstairs, Gutter Bookshop, Hodges Figgis.

Sums up the Trump II administration that this scrote would be the guest of honour for St Patrick's Day. Nobody would touch him back home.

This is literally Neo-Nazi propaganda. Textbook ethno-nationalist ideology that aligns with every far-right movement in Europe.

Excellent letter in the Irish Times reminding us that Irish builders did not build the White House as indicated by the Taoiseach this week. It was build by slaves including those owned by the Irish architect James Hoban.

Mediating between police and protesters to try and prevent escalation makes you a rioter in Hong Kong. The absurdity never ends.

On this #IWD2025 a reminder that Hong Kong based journalist Minnie Chan is still missing. She was last seen at an event in Beijing, and last filed a story on November 1, 2023. Her colleagues wish only for her welfare and for her safe return to her children and family. www.scmp.com/author/minni...

congratulations to No Other Land, which may be the first film to win a major Oscar but not theatrical distribution.

Actually surprised egg memes taunting Americans in their hour of difficulty hasn't become a thing. www.thedailybeast.com/trump-might-...